


Raincheck

by wisteria_prince



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Psychological Drama, Romantic Fluff, but there's plenty of fluff to be had for these crime bois, happy pegoryu week 2020 btw, it's a rainy day in leblanc and these dorks are spending some time together, mentions of familial conflict, very much akiren centric with some angst in the form of introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25928368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisteria_prince/pseuds/wisteria_prince
Summary: The window is closed. It continues to pour outside. He can’t detach himself from the world with another person in his room. Fortunately, he doesn’t want to and hasn’t since attending Shujin. Since he met him.The gusts of wind driving through tree branches slow down. The impact of water against glass weakens yet Akira watches in trance. Trails of drops flowing into another leave him mesmerized. It’s relaxing. Always has been.----------It's raining in Yongen Jaya. But that's not inherently a bad thing. Akira likes the weather and he likes Ryuji even more.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	Raincheck

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is a gift for my lovely discord friend @takaMWAHra since she started playing p5 and I'm very excited for her! she's only a few hours in as of late so no major spoilers here but since she's a big fan of Ryuji I figured I'd put a little something together. also, it just so happens that I've written this at the tail end of Pegoryu Week 2020 without realizing it and this doesn't really match any of the prompts but I hope you guys enjoy ;^)

Akira Kurusu does not believe in fortune tellers. 

It’s the same reason why he thinks the 9 o’clock meteorologist for Good Morning Japan ought to consider a career in astrology on the seedy streets of Shinjuku. The weather forecast today had as much validity as a cheap newspaper horoscope. But it’s a good thing he can appreciate a nice, heavy downpour. 

The storm wasn’t scheduled to brew until tomorrow evening but in a twist of fate, tomorrow’s problem crept into the afternoon and hasn’t stopped since. A few rogue droplets against a window pane didn’t stop Akira from lazily typing out a last minute invitation to his room. The skies didn’t turn grey either upon receiving Ryuji’s text, not that he would have noticed it. The subtle excitement of meeting his partner in crime kept him glued to his phone and clouded his thoughts. Such is the power of a one track mind without any doubts about the rest of the day. Just a keen fixation that hangs on every little reply and a mental picture of satisfying company. It’s the type of company that makes an adventure out of nothing but four walls and a vibrant personality. Akira isn’t sure if he’s met anyone else that keeps him happy in a cramped space without a care to take a single step anywhere else. Each tap on his keyboard and swipe revealing a wallpaper of the two of them fuels a childlike anticipation. He knows as much but some things in life simply can’t be helped. 

A sharp crackle of thunder interrupts fantasy. 

_God, they’re both idiots._ Akira is a fool for not cancelling plans and Ryuji is a dumbass for taking the Ginza Line to Yongen without an umbrella. But it’s okay. It provides an opportunity for the boys to share one as Akira walks him over to the cafe. He really doesn’t have to do that though. Being an escort doesn’t immediately dry the soaking wet hoodie clinging to Ryuji’s frame nor does it stop the sudden assault of sneezes tucked into a drenched sleeve. (A trip to the laundromat and a box of tissues are quick, easy solutions to those puzzles.) Nonetheless, it hopefully conveys something special:

In the midst of Akira’s stupidity, he cares about his friend. Very much. Even if it’s protecting him from the elements just a few blocks away from their little haven, he’ll make it happen. 

A bath towel to ruffle fluffy hair and a cup of coffee watered down with milk and cream later, they’re in the attic. Turns out with enough force, the rafters creak to the rhythm of the howling wind outside. That doesn’t bother either of them though. Akira’s not sure how they ended up lounging on the floor, sharing earphones to listen to chill playlists on his phone. He doesn’t question the moment he leans back to rest his head in Ryuji’s lap while the boy skims through a game strategy guide taken from a stack of magazines next to them. Watching him react to hidden easter eggs and cheat codes through half lidded eyes and soft piano feels natural. Ryuji might make a few surprised faces at tips and tricks Akira’s certain everyone and their mom knows but he likes the view. 

He likes it almost as much as the shade of pink that rises to his boyfriend’s cheeks when he tells him so. 

Silly expressions aside, he does like the way Ryuji looks in his PJs. There’s something adorable about the way the sleeves of the sweater are rolled up to his elbows to suit his style. Sadly, it’s only temporary. 20 minutes and that cycle in the machine is done but there’ll be hell if one of them has to dash out in the pouring rain for those clothes. Even worse if Ryuji catches a train during a projected typhoon warning. 

It doesn’t matter how many games he’s rented for the two of them to keep busy. Nor does it matter how many stories either of them have to tell. Ryuji has to go home eventually. Akira reminds himself that with every visit. 

_One day, in a few months time, he too will have to go home._

Gently closing his eyes, he drowns out both thoughts to the tune of running water and acoustic guitar layered over steady drum beats. Thinking about it doesn’t do much good anyway so it’s better to savor the present before it inevitably becomes the past. 

Like that song. It’s a pretty track that ended faster than he recalls.

Faint whispers of unintelligible words play during an interlude. It doesn’t sound like a commercial though. It sounds like talking. Weirder, it sounds more and more like his name on a loop, voice echoing in his head.

 _Wait. The talking sounds like Ryuji._

“‘Kira. Timer’s gonna go off.” 

No. That’s not right. It’s too soon. Akira pokes the bridge of his nose with a finger in an absentminded effort to push up the glasses that aren’t sitting on his face. His vision adjusts to the sight of sunshine in a haze. Bright golden hair and warm brown eyes look back at him over a magazine page advertising gacha in Akihabara. 

The hush of rain remains audible in the background as he realizes what happened. 

It wasn’t intentional, but for some amount of time, he fell asleep. 

“Come on man. You have to get up,” Ryuji says, impatience peaking through his inflection. Akira wonders if it’s truly directed at him. 

“Are you asking me or are you telling me?” 

“Telling because if I ask, you’ll say no.” 

Damn. That self help book he borrowed from the library is a hoax. Sarcasm is charming but it doesn’t always get you what you want. 

A slight nudge and vibrations from his phone make Akira shift his weight. While Ryuji stretches out his legs, Akira swipes away the timer notification and blindly squints at the blurry floor under his feet. 

He’s more disoriented than Ryuji sprinting through puddles in the alleyway this afternoon. 

“Where’d you put my glasses?” he asks, stifling back a yawn. 

“In the case on the bed behind you. Didn’t want us to do something stupid and break ‘em.” 

He almost asks about Morgana before remembering that he left the guy with Futaba earlier. Or rather, Morgana left him since he’s not exactly a fan of playing a self proclaimed third wheel when Ryuji is around. That’s fair. 

As Akira wipes the lenses with a cleaning cloth, he sits atop messy sheets. He could collapse onto his bed then and there, maybe have a dream or two, but that’s the mark of a terrible host. Moreover, he has a strange feeling if he doesn’t stay awake now, he’ll wake up in the middle of the night and Ryuji will be gone. Not like that’s ever happened or that Ryuji’s the type to sneak away without a goodbye but he doesn’t want to find out if that’s the case. Not today anyway. 

A clear gaze switches to droplets of water sliding down the glass of the window pane. He doesn’t look up when Ryuji puts a hand on his shoulder but appreciates the gesture all the same. 

“Sure was a shit day to hang out,” Ryuji mutters under his breath. Disappointment is understandable. Current circumstances are interesting to say the very least. Well, hopefully they are.

“I’m sorry for falling asleep,” Akira says, not entirely pleased with the grogginess in his voice. Nevertheless, Ryuji smiles as he massages raven hair with his fingers. It’s a nice feeling.

“Oh please, I’m not mad about that,” he laughs. “It was kinda cute.”

In Akira’s book, being called kinda cute is high praise, even if he’ll never let on. But even with his signature poker face, maybe it’s too obvious. The way he whines when his partner pulls his hand away is definitely a tell. 

“I’ll be back. Gotta go get my stuff.” In retaliation, Akira tugs on the bottom of his sweater, pinching the fabric with his thumb. 

“Ryuji, it's a mess out there. Wait a little while for it to clear.” 

It doesn’t take much of a fight for the other boy to give in and sit in the chair by the desk in a huff. 

A flash of lightning illuminates the room. 

“Damn. It’s a pretty tough storm out there huh?” The question was clearly rhetorical but Akira mindlessly nods anyway. Outside of worrying for Ryuji’s sake, the weather in of itself doesn’t really faze him. It does bring back memories of more rain. 

And those bring back memories of how he ended up at Leblanc in the first place. Flashbacks to the night he saved that lady on the streets from that drunken politician. The clouds did not open up with rain the night he punched Shido to keep him away from a woman so visibly shaken up. It did rain hard on a night drive home. The flooding was enough cause for concern and the rumble of thunder would frighten most but Akira found himself very grateful for it all. The patter of droplets against the roof of the car drowned out so many words he didn’t want to hear. It drowned out his parents’ fierce yelling about being a disgrace to his family. It did the same the following days when rumors began to spread in his old school about his expulsion. Things quickly grew out of proportion. While most students visited temples to hang talismans for good weather, Akira spent his last days in his hometown praying for louder showers. That way he didn’t have to completely listen to phone calls about his transfer to Shujin or threats of being disowned for his criminal record. 

He could simply sit, blanket over his head with his knees to chest and let the ambience consume everything. It’s a shame it never removed that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach though. 

The harsh, sobering feeling that tells him he’s unwanted. 

When it comes to his parents, he learned that anger and disappointment act as a solid iron wall to close off conversation. But that’s okay. He wasn’t always lonely. 

Sometimes it feels better to be left alone. 

It’s the best when there’s a big cascade on the horizon. 

Another flash ignites dark clouds. 

It’s a good thing the power hasn’t surged. That’d be terrible. 

“Shit!” Ryuji jumps at a boom of thunder, nearly falling out of his chair. 

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid,” Akira teases. 

“N-no.” _Yeah. That’s super convincing._

“Good. I was gonna say, isn’t that what Captain Kidd does all the time?” he asks. Ryuji nervously scratches the back of his head. 

“Sure. That’s all cognitive though! It’s different when it's real Akira.” 

It sure is. Enough to make him wonder if it storms in Mementos just like it does on earth. 

“Hey dude,” Ryuji says, pointing in front of him. “I meant to say this beforehand but you should close that window.” Akira notices how the glass is slightly ajar and smirks. 

“Why? You’re afraid you’ll get struck by lightning?”

“No smartass. Rain’ll come in.” 

_Oh. That’s true._ The windowsill is slick already. 

“Leave it,” he says. “It keeps the room cool.” The crossbreeze is refreshing but Ryuji doesn’t seem content with that excuse. 

“Why don’t you just plug in one of those fans then?” Ah yes, one of the bladed units in that box of junk pushed on the wall by the stairs, placed conveniently next to an unused space heater. Cranking on the little oscillator probably wouldn’t do much harm but thinking about it, Akira would rather not cause any more problems for Sojiro. The man already lets him use a TV, a game console, and a DVD player. That’s not even counting the charger for his phone and the laptop laying on his desk. 

“I’ll run up the electricity bill.” 

“Okay. Well, don’t you have one of those fans from any of those summer festivals we’ve seen?”

In public and in private Ryuji Sakamoto is stubborn and persistent. But ask anyone at school or on the streets of Tokyo who truly knows Akira. The kid is also well versed in playing hardball. 

“Nope. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Akira says, casually lying through his teeth. Ryuji scans the decor shelf, his eyes lighting up immediately upon seeing a particular uchiwa on display. 

“That one! Over there! Just use that.” Akira shakes his head.

“That’s a gift.”

“Uh, it’s a practical gift from me a few weeks ago. You can use it.” _As if he needs permission._ Not that it matters. He musters up a dramatic sigh, worthy of making Ann’s acting look like Broadway. 

“Turning my wrist back and forth requires effort,” he says behind a pout. He figured it would work until his boyfriend rose to pick up the summer festival token off its stand. 

“Fine!” Ryuji exclaims. “I’ll fan you dammit! Is that what you want?” Despite the cool air from a few rotations, Akira dismisses the uchiwa with a wave. Practical gift or not, souvenirs should be kept pristine.

“No Ryuji! Put it back!” he groans. “Just leave the window as it is!”

Akira doesn’t consider himself to be the most self aware person. But if he knows anything about himself, it’s that he hates losing. He reads through strategy guides because he doesn’t like losing in video games. During exam season, he buries himself into practice problems because he hates the idea of a single failing grade. But as Ryuji tightens the latch, all he can do is taste the bitter defeat of losing the battle of the window. 

It’s a stupid thing to be hung up over. It almost feels like it’s more than a game. 

“We can’t afford AC back home,” Akira says, lowering his head to hide a foreign sense of embarrassment. “So we normally keep all the windows and doors open.” 

It serves as a makeshift escape from the heat. A house with an open door policy seemed like a good thing at first, as if it guaranteed attention. It sort of did. The price is an utter lack of privacy. Exposure at a whim. 

Not being able to close off completely was slightly unnerving. 

“I get that,” Ryuji begins, unknowingly cutting off a mental spiral. “Ma and I do the same but I still don’t want you getting sick. You’ll get bad hay fever.” 

The window is closed. It continues to pour outside. He can’t detach himself from the world with another person in his room. Fortunately, he doesn’t want to and hasn’t since attending Shujin. Since he met _him._

The gusts of wind driving through tree branches slow down. The impact of water against glass weakens yet Akira watches in trance. Trails of drops flowing into another leave him mesmerized. It’s relaxing. Always has been. 

“Akira?”

 _Shit_. He can’t afford to zone out again. 

“Yes?” He turns, surprised to find Ryuji standing right behind him. 

_When did he get so close?_

“Are you uh, you doing okay?”

Oh god. To the untrained eye, it probably seems like he’s staring into the void. Maybe he is. Inadvertently anyway. Gazing back at his boyfriend makes his heart race but the feeling is enticing. 

“I’m fine.” _That’s not a total lie._ “Why do you ask?” Ryuji studies him with discernment. Any other person might flinch when he leans in but Akira doesn’t blink. 

“You just seem kinda spacey today. I’m just checking but if you’re sure-”

“I promise you nothing’s wrong.” Akira cuts him off. Maybe the delivery could have been better but it makes the other boy back away. If something was truly amiss, he knows he can tell Ryuji. Would he actually do it is another question of its own. He likes to think so but being vulnerable is easier said than done. Ryuji sighs. 

“I swear, I feel like I never know what’s going on in that head of yours.” Akira smiles. 

“Really? I think you know better than I do sometimes.”

“You’re just saying that.”

_Except he isn’t._

Akira likes living in an air of mystery but perhaps he can be generous enough to give away some secrets. He gestures to the overcast view of the alleyway. 

“It’s selfish but I used to look forward to things like this. Minus the flooding you know.” Ryuji furrows his brow the same way he looks at calculus homework during study sessions. The confusion is endearing. 

“The hell? Well, it’s good for the plants I guess.” Akira laughs. Explaining what he actually means is hard. He’ll say the rest when the time is right and who knows when that’ll be but if anything, he knows something simple. 

_For their sake, he never wants the guy to change. Grow yes, but never change._

_He’d hate to see that crude naivety go._

Lightning hasn’t flashed in minutes. The skies are still dark but the atmosphere is serene. The window is closed but breaking tradition doesn’t bother Akira as much. He raises a hand to Ryuji’s cheek to catch his attention. As per usual, it’s a success. 

_Witnessing the intrigue in those dark brown eyes is bliss._

He could tell him that but he won’t. 

“The rain might let up soon but I feel bad you’re stranded here with me,” he admits. The bittersweet emotion stings a little since having regret on Ryuji’s behalf but seeing the weather and a chance to be together as a victories are perspectives at odds with each other. 

Thankfully, neither of them are strangers to a bit of cognitive dissonance. 

“Don’t feel bad man,” Ryuji says softly. “I chose to be here. I wanted to see you.” 

_To Akira, those words are a danger to his blood pressure but mean the world and more._

In retrospect, he’s a bit of an overthinker. Akira can spend days, weeks, months overanlyzing small details but he’s certain not a thought rushes to his mind as his fingers travel through golden tufts of hair. Nope, he doesn’t need to think to lean in and close that trivial distance between their lips. For a surprise, the kiss is slow and grounded once that initial tension from first contact subsides. It always smells like coffee in Leblanc but claiming the lingering taste from the last cup he brewed makes the scent even better. Heat rises and Akira pulls away to see that flustered face he loves so much. 

_Ryuji is left stuttering and breathless. How sweet._

“What- what was that about?” Ryuji manages to ask with a flushed face. Akira grins at his handiwork. 

“For coming to see me on such a dreary day,” he replies, as sincere as sincere can be. Ryuji opens his mouth to speak but he cuts him off by stealing another kiss, this time chaste and quick. 

“M’kay so what was that for?” 

_Is it a crime to be this adorable? Because it totally should be._

“For making such a cute face after the first one,” Akira says, like it’s a fact in a court of law. In response, Ryuji shyly rubs the back of his neck. 

“Yeah yeah whatever. Not that I mind but you forget how to use your words all of a sudden?” he asks. 

“I guess that happens when I’m around you,” Akira breathes out, a devilish question lurking on the tip of his tongue. “So what do you want to do about it?” Normally, he acts so forward as a joke but that glint in his boyfriend’s eye might make him reconsider.

_Maybe his sweet Ryuji isn’t so innocent after all._

“I like this side of you, not gonna lie. But first,” he says, pulling out his phone to check the time. “I gotta go get the clothes.”

“The clothes?” Akira repeats, unsure as to what he means by that. It’s his turn to be confused he figures. 

_The clothes…_

“Oh my god the clothes!” he exclaims, thinking out loud. Ryuji shakes his head. 

“You know, smart people wear glasses but I’m starting to think yours are just for show.”

“I can’t believe you’re bullying me,” Akira huffs and crosses his arms, feigning disgust. 

“I’m kidding. I’ll be back in 5 minutes.” 

“I hope you forget to use my umbrella that I left right outside the front door.” On the stairs, Ryuji turns and flashes a smile that makes Akira realize in a parallel universe where that comment actually got to him, he still couldn’t be mad. 

“Thanks for the reminder.” 

Apparently, telling a former track star not to run proves to be futile but that’s alright. As long as he doesn’t fall. 

_As long as he comes back and stays just a little while longer._

An alleged sunny day really did transform into heavy showers and a subsequent light drizzle. But that’s fine since Akira Kurusu doesn’t believe in shady fortune tellers or poor meteorologists. He’s hard pressed to put faith into either of those avenues but he does believe in a concept completely antithetical to a realm of predictions. He believes in the unpredictability of life. Situational factors have a mode of evolving and blending together in ways he can hardly imagine. Sometimes it’s a pain but sometimes it’s really a blessing waiting to be found. 

Akira couldn’t have anticipated how the smell of fresh laundry and dryer sheets really does complement feathery kisses on his cheeks and down his neck. 

But honestly, who could have expected to fall in love with the rain?

And who would’ve guessed that he’d find his own personal ray of sunshine in the sea of clouds?

The heart of the downpour dissipates like all things come and go but in its departure there is light. Light that holds his hand and brings joy in the aftermath of a tempest. At his house in the countryside, he didn’t have that light. 

But as the evening grows near, he’ll embrace it like finest storm he’s ever seen. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> It has been brought to my attention via P5R that Akira's glasses are fake and he's a megane wearing fraud but let's just pretend that they're real okay? Also I'm getting to the last palace in Royal which gives me many emotions but I'm happy I can relive all this stuff once more through my buddy. 
> 
> feel free to say hi and talk crime bois with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/wis_prince)


End file.
